Gay Games

Give OUT today

Today (May 9) marks the first-ever Give OUT Day, 24 hours of unprecedented giving to LGBT nonprofit organizations to show the world how the LGBT community and allies come together to support initiatives that matter to them.

The 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation is proud to be one of the inaugural organizations to support Give OUT Day, and needs your support to help make the day and the Games a success. Donations can be made online: http://giveout.razoo.com/story/Gay-Games-9.

LATEST NEWS: A generous donor from the Gay Games Leadership Council has offered to give $2 for every $1 donated TODAY ONLY (up to $10,000 in matching support.) Please help us maximize the match.

Share this with your friends with a note about your support for the Gay Games. Share it with your friends on social media to create a buzz about this exciting way to help the Gay Games create change through sports! Help us spread the Gay Games message.

It's for the athlete who didn't think he could play a sport and be openly gay. It's for the player who wants to participate on the global stage but she doesn't have a playing field. It's for the less-intense participant who wants to celebrate sport and culture, while having fun with thousands in the LGBT community and their supporters from around the world.

For more than 30 years, the Gay Games has been that place, an inclusive global event with more than 35 sports and cultural events for all adults of varying skill levels.In 2014, the ninth quadrennial Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation will bring together more than 10,000 participants from around the world to Cleveland+Akron, Ohio, United States.

Your donation today will support this global celebration of sports and culture.It is more than a year away, but your support on Give OUT Day can help make a difference now. And your donation will be tripled thanks to a generous Gay Games donor who has agreed to match all donations (up to $10,000) on Give OUT Day (May 9.)Think of Give OUT Day as a virtual pep rally for the 2014 Gay Games.

Making a donation is a great way to show your spirit and enthusiasm not only for the event but the LGBT community as a whole. As you read this, participants from more than 65 countries are preparing for the 2014 Games. Your support will motivate them to do their personal best. The Gay Games movement is about MORE than sports. It's about creating change. Cleveland+Akron, Ohio, was chosen as the host region to make a difference in America's heartland. Help be part of that change!

Donating online is quick, secure and safe. Just like Games participants, all donations are welcome and appreciated. Leave your mark on this history-making event this Thursday and your support will help all of us make history at the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation. Donate today: http://giveout.razoo.com/story/Gay-Games-9.

Your Donation Could Grow Even More
In addition to the donation match ($2 for every $1 donated) from a generous Gay Games donor, your dollar could go even further—Give OUT organizers will be having contests throughout the day to boost participating organizations’ final May 9 donations. Help us become a Rainbow Prize winner, awarded hourly to the organization with the highest total donations in that hour. The Leader Board cash prizes go to the organizations with the most unique (individual) donors. Sign Up Now to Donate for Give OUT Day. Schedule your donation now and be a participant in the first-ever global Give OUT Day: http://giveout.razoo.com/story/Gay-Games-9.

Thank you so much for your support.

Tartan Yachts Makes Sailing Possible

Tartan Yachts will be building 20 boats so the sailors can compete in the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation. It’s the first time in Gay Games history that an entire fleet of boats is being built by the same manufacturer specifically for use at the Gay Games.

“We couldn’t have offered sailing without such significant support from Tartan,” says Executive Director Tom Nobbe. “That would have been problematic, especially given Cleveland’s location on the southern edge of one of America’s Great Lakes.”

Tartan is the presenting sponsor for sailing as well as a platinum sponsor for the world’s largest LGBT multi-sport event scheduled August 9-16, 2014. Edgewater Yacht Club has agreed to host the sailing event, which will happen on Lake Erie.

“When we were first approached about helping with the Gay Games sailing event for 2014 we were excited about being part of such a large global event taking place right in our own backyard,” says Steve Malbasa, owner of Tartan Yachts. “When you think about it, sailing is about taking a headwind and turning it into something that will propel you forward. It's a great metaphor for life and one that we think the GG9 mission represents.”

As Steve Sokany, co-chair of the 2014 Gay Games, explains, Tartan is more than a sponsor. “Tartan is a true partner in every sense of the word. We’re excited to see its talented employees craft by hand each of the 20 boats necessary for the sport, drawing from its 50 years in the business.”

Tartan Yachts will be providing 20 of the new Tartan One Design Racers. Modeled after the award-winning Tim Jackett designed Tartan Fantail 26, the new Tartan One Design Racer adds a new dimension to the Tartan lineup. The Tartan One Design Racer is a solidly designed modern sport racer. The 9-foot cockpit is built to be sat in, rather than on. The new racer from Tartan comfortably accommodates a three- to four-person crew. The new Tartan One Design Racer is crafted to perform well in both light and rough seas. It is as much fun to sail single-handed with only the main, as it is to sail under spinnaker, yet it provides a stable and safe platform for an afternoon cruise with friends and family.

Tartan and the Games have teamed up to offer special sponsorship opportunities for these 20 boats. For more information on sponsorship opportunities please contact Christine Corbissero at (440)210-5133 or ccorbissero@tartan-ccyachts.com.

Games Supports New Program through The Diversity Center

Northeast Ohio organizations have a unique opportunity to improve their awareness and sensitivity to LGBT issues through a new program developed by The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio and supported by the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation.

“With Cleveland and Akron hosting the Gay Games in 2014, now is the ideal time to promote LGBT cultural competence training and awareness throughout the community,” said Christen DuVernay, Director of Programs at The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.

“Through a new partnership between The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio and the 2014 Gay Games, organizations can take action now,” she explained. “They can obtain helpful LGBT cultural competence training, have their policies and procedures assessed, and guidance provided as it relates to LGBT inclusivity.”

Gay Games Executive Director Thomas Nobbe agreed. “We’re pleased to be a catalyst for companies, restaurants, hotels as well as other organizations eager to show the world how welcoming and inclusive they are to the LGBT community.”

Organizations can opt for a formal program coordinated by The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio that evaluates the organization’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) inclusiveness by assessing their policies and procedures. Participants then select from a menu of cultural competency training programs to better prepare employees to engage with the LGBT community.

Based on their participation in the assessment and training (and meeting predefined levels), the organization will be recognized as a recommended retailer by the Gay Games. All recommended retailers will be identified on the Games website.

Organizations also can opt to participate only in an LGBTQ cultural competency training program offered by The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio to marketing, human resources, diversity officers and other interested staff to build or refresh their skills.

The program is open to all vendors in Northeast Ohio as well as Gay Games sponsors. Program fees vary depending on an organization’s assessment size and number of training program participants.

For additional information, contact Christen DuVernay at The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio at cduvernay@diversitycenterneo.org or (216) 752-3000.

Games Salutes NBA's Jason Collins

‘First’ announcement has special meaning for gay athletes

CLEVELAND, OHIO (APRIL 29, 2013) – The 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation salutes Jason Collins for his courage to come out today as the first openly gay athlete for a major U.S. men’s professional sports team.

“This is huge – just the fact that there is someone who is stepping up to deal with public scrutiny and is brave enough to come out,” says Rob Smitherman, director of sports operations for the Gay Games.

“He’s going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. That shows how far things are turning around for LGBT athletes in professional sports,” he says.

Smitherman continues, “Athletes don’t have to fear as much repercussion these days for being open about their sexual orientation. Many people thought they would lose or not secure sponsors if they announced they were gay or lesbian, but that is changing. Nike has even been very public in announcing its support for the first openly gay or lesbian professional athletes.

“He doesn’t have to hide and that’s nice. He can be himself and that will probably make him a better basketball player,” Smitherman says.

A basketball player himself, Smitherman is particularly pleased. “He can play on my basketball team any time,” he says, adding he would be happy to have Collins supporting other gay athletes at the Gay Games scheduled for August 9-16 in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.

About the Gay Games

The Gay Games are an international sporting and cultural event held every four years. Launched in 1982, the Games invite participation from all competitors regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status.

The 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation will be August 9-16, 2014, in venues around Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, in the United States. More than 35 sports and culture events will be held, with more than 11,000 participants from more than 65 countries expected to join the Games.

Design the medal (contest for local college students)

2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation

Medals Design Contest for Northeast Ohio College Students

Submission Deadline: June 1, 2013

The world will come together in Northeast Ohio when Cleveland+Akron hosts the 2014 Gay Games presented by the Cleveland Foundation. From August 9-16, 2014, the Gay Games will welcome an expected 11,000 participants and 20,000 spectators, both gay and straight, participating in 38 sports and cultural events.

We want Northeast Ohio’s talented students to have the opportunity to be part of this history-making event. We also want to create a unique and creative medal that will become treasured keepsakes by all participants as well as cast in gold, silver and bronze for each event’s winners.

To that end, the 2014 Gay Games is having a contest to select the best medal design. The design should creatively represent the Gay Games and the Cleveland-Akron area. It is open to all students from Northeast Ohio who are or will be registered for at least six credit hours this spring or summer semesters at any accredited college or university.

Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. EDT June 1, 2013. The designs should be either illustrations in hard copy or electronic submissions. Illustrations in hard copy should be sent to 2014 Gay Games, c/o Medal Design Contest, 334 Euclid Ave, Suite 100, Cleveland, Ohio 44114. Electronic submissions should be sent to rsmitherman@GG9cle.com. Three-dimensional submissions such as actual samples will not be accepted.

For complete contest rules and submission form, please click here.

The winner will be selected by July 31, 2013.

The chosen medal design will be showcased at a reception for the artist prior to the 2014 Gay Games, and the artist will be recognized for the design in the Official 2014 Gay Games program. The artist also will receive two tickets to opening and closing ceremonies of the 2014 Gay Games.

For more information or to request a digital version of the GG9 logo, please email Melanie K. Falls, GG9 Medals Chair at gg9medals@gmail.com.

Walk or Water? Join May 4 Event

Walk, Rock & Run on May 4, 2013, with the Gay Games at The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio event. Join the Gay Games team volunteering at a water station along the route of the 3-mile walk and 5-kilometer run. Complete this application and submit to The Diversity Center. Please note on the application that you want to represent the Gay Games and staff a water station. Interested in participating in the walk or run, join the Gay Games team by clicking here. It’s free to walk in the event, and $25 to do the run. Participants receive free admission to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center and Baseball Heritage Museum—plus lots of other goodies.

Attend a Games Info Meeting

Northeast Ohio residents can get in on the Games Buzz at one of more than a half dozen community meetings in April. Learn more about why the Games exist, why they are in Cleveland+Akron and how you can be a part of them as a participant, volunteer, donor and general supporter. Meeting sites include downtown Cleveland, Akron, Strongsville, Bay Village, Middleburg Heights and Beachwood. For more information, click here. Want to have a meeting in your community in or outside Northeast Ohio? Contact Ann Gynn at agynn@GG9CLE.com.

Games Supports Cleveland Film Fest

The 2014 Gay Games is a community partner of the Cleveland International Film Festival this April. The Czech Republic film, Vera 68, tells the inspiring story of an Olympic champion. It runs at 2 p.m. April 7 and 9:15 a.m. April 8 at Tower City Cinemas.

Vera Cáslavská is a Czech Olympic champion who, in 1968, was voted the world's second most popular woman after Jackie Kennedy. A cheerful blonde who excelled in every area of gymnastics, Vera shot to fame in 1964 after winning three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics. Four years later, in Mexico City, she won four more.

But Vera's life has not been all sunshine and adulation, and VERA 68 tells her story. One courageous act of silent protest changed her life forever. In 1968 the Soviets invaded Czechoslovakia, and at that year's Olympics all eyes were on Vera. As the Soviet anthem played, she simply turned her head aside. An outcast in her newly Socialist country, she was reduced to cleaning houses in disguise. But as the Cold War ended, President Vaclav Havel hired her as an advisor.

Vera remains an ebullient woman who notes that life -- like gymnastics -- has some ups and downs. May Vera Cáslavská continue to celebrate her ups.

Click here for more information and to order your tickets today.

Sign Up to Receive E-News

Want to hear about the latest news, special discounts, stories from participants and other events leading up to the 2014 Gay Games? Click here. Want to keep even more up to date? Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Join the Champions Program

The Games is pleased to announce its Champions Program, the 2014 Games grassroots volunteer marketing effort for individuals to share the opportunities to participate with geographic-based teams and sport-specific organizations and events.To learn how to become a 2014 Gay Games Champions, visit www.GG9CLE.com/participate/champions-program or contact Communications Director Ann M. Gynn at agynn@GG9CLE.com. Sign up today and start Championing the Games.

Don't Dodge It!

Join Team San Francisco for some friendly competition at its dodgeball tournament and LGBT Sports & Gay Games info event on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 5:30-11 p.m. at the Eureka Valley Rec Center and HiTops Sports Bar. For more info: http://teamsf.ning.com/

Early Registration Savings Ends Tonight

Save $30 off general registration to participate in the 2014 Gay Games if you register by midnight tonight (Thursday, 10 January). Visit www.GG9CLE.com/registration for more information (click on Register Now at bottom to start the official process). You must FIRST complete general registration then you complete the individual sports or cultural event registrations. You do NOT need to complete the event-specific registration at the same time.

Want to join Team CLE+AKR?

No matter which event you plan to compete in, you can be a member of a team. An organizational meeting for Team CLE+AKR will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, January 25, at Twist in Cleveland or email us at 2014GayGamesClevelandAkron@gmail.com for more information and we'll put you in touch with Team CLE+AKR organizers. Not a CLE+AKR participant? Email us at same address for more info on your locally based team.

Save $30 and Register by the End of December

Add your name to the list of Gay Games 9 registrants and keep some money in your wallet. Complete your general registration by 31 December 2012, and pay only $135 -- that is a $30 savings off the $165 general registration fee that begins 1 January 2013. Most sports- and culture specific event registrations are open. All will be added by the end of the year. Please note: You can complete your general registration NOW to maximize your savings!

Exclusive: Gay Games 9 Housing Reservations

The Gay Games 9 lodging site is the ONLY place you can reserve your room online for the 9-16 August 2014 Games until a year from the event. Learn about the attractive Gay Games 9 rates negotiated at more than 30 hotels throughout Cleveland and Akron, close to the hubs of activity and most are easily accessible through public transportation. Reserve your room today.

Early Registration Savings Ends Soon

Have you registered for Gay Games 9? Participants from nine countries and more than 20 U.S. states already have. Register today (or before the end of the year) and save. General registration is open to all as well as more than 14 sports-specific events. Visit www.gg9cle.com/registration -- registration for most sports will be open by October 31. Additional sports and culture events will be added before December 31.

MIST Honors GG9

The Midwest Invitation Softball Tournament presented Gay Games 9 with a plaque for its “unparalleled performance and commitment” to Aug. 31-Sept. 2 event hosted in Cleveland. Gay Games 9 board members and staff assisted the event with registration and raffle ticket sales.

On Tour in Europe

Gay Games 9 Executive Director Tom Nobbe and Sports Director Rob Smitherman spent two weeks in August promoting the 2014 Games in Europe. In addition to their presentation to the FGG’s Annual General Assembly in Sofia, Bulgaria, the pair made stops in Paris, Berlin and Cologne, Germany, to educate the communities about the events planned for Cleveland + Akron, Ohio, USA in 2014.

GG9 was at Cleveland Pride!

This year’s Pride, Rally and Festival happened June 23 under blue skies and golden sunshine at Voinovich Park in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Nearly 12,000 friends, family and community members gathered to celebrate.

Gay Games 9 was there. Volunteers worked the front gates handing out Pride maps and GG9 wristbands, as well as staffed the GG9 booth where they distributed information cards and fans to beat the heat! The crew also hosted a photo booth where participants could take their picture with an athlete cardboard cutout in front of the GG9 banner. Check out the great images on our Facebook page!

Basketball and Softball Registrations are Open!

Registration is now open for Basketball and Softball!

If you register for these sports by 31 July 2012, you receive a $10 discount. Register now!

Continue to stay tuned as we finalize details for many of the other 35+ sport and cultural events!

GG9 in Denver at the Gay Rodeo!

In mid-July, the GG9 team met with the International Gay Rodeo Association and attended the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association Rodeo in Denver, Colorado.

The rodeo event was great fun with more than 100 contestants in events such as bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing and flag racing. The Gay Games team, along with one of the marketing volunteers from Team Denver, also participated in one of the fun events of the gay rodeo—goat dressing. One team was able to put a pair of white underwear on a goat in a respectable 14.5 seconds, while the other had a bit more of a struggle. Good times were had by all!

The gay rodeo is coming to the Midwest in two weeks. The Greater Motown International Rodeo is in Belleville, Michigan, (suburban Detroit), 28-29 July 2012. The gay rodeo circuit continues throughout the fall, with the IGRA Championships are in Fort Worth, Texas, 19-21 October 2012. Check out the IGRA website for a full calendar of events.

Volunteer Opportunity with the Midwest Invitational Softball Tournament!

Gay Games 9 is pleased to announce a partnership with MIST to provide volunteers for its tournament Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1, 2 and 3. If you think you have what it takes to be a GG9 volunteer, contact us at info@gg9cle.com, Subject Title: MIST VOLUNTEER.

International Gay and Lesbian Aquatic

The International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) Championships splashed into Reykjavik, Iceland on 30 May-June2 2012. Several Cleveland-area athletes swam in the event and GG9 info appeared in the IGLA program and athlete registration bags. In 2014, The Gay Games partners with IGLA to host the Championships in Cleveland.

Cleveland G.I.F.T

Cleveland G.I.F.T.(Gay, lesbian, bi, transgendered Invitational Fellowship Tournament) held its 24th Annual Bowling Tournament 8-10 June 2012. The sold out event rocked the roll at Freeway Lanes, with 150 bowlers participating from across the US and Canada. On Saturday night, over 700 friends and guests gathered for one of the most widely attended LGBT events in the Cleveland area, the annual G.I.F.T cruise on the annual boat cruise on Lake Erie.

Host Cities Cleveland + Akron Get Ready For 2014 Gay Games

Registration Opens and Website Launches in May

CLEVELAND (April 18, 2012) – The Cleveland Special Events Corporation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is making significant progress in preparing for the ninth Gay Games (GG9), a global sports and culture event coming to Cleveland + Akron August 9-16, 2014. The Gay Games are one of the largest multi-sport festivals in the world that is open to all – regardless of skill level, age (18+), sexual orientation or physical challenge.

The weeklong festival of sports and culture is expected to draw more than 10,000 participants from around the world, along with an estimated 20,000 additional visitors, performers, spectators and volunteers.

Tom Nobbe, GG9 Executive Director, said: “Gay Games 9 will generate tens of millions of dollars in economic activity for the region. In addition, this event presents an opportunity to showcase Cleveland and Akron as world-class destinations, welcoming all visitors.”

Participants will be able to register for the Gay Games using the new GG9 website during May. To date, hundreds of people from all over the world have already expressed their interest in participating, volunteering or otherwise supporting the Gay Games in 2014.

Currently, Gay Games 9 has more than 100 volunteer professionals from across the LGBT and allied communities who are currently serving on nine committees. The committee members are working on GG9’s logistics and operations, sports venues, marketing, development, educational outreach and more.

“We are very happy with the pace and quality of GG9’s preparations for the 2014 Gay Games,” said Kurt Dahl, co-chair of the Federation of Gay Games, the international governing body that awarded the Gay Games to Cleveland and Akron. “We have found Northeast Ohioans, particularly the LGBT community in Cleveland and Akron, to be passionate about their region and their ability to make these Games the best ever.”

Gay Games 9 also is forging strategic partnerships throughout Northeast Ohio. For example, three local creative agencies of record – Brokaw, Aztek and Consolidated Graphics Group, Inc. – are providing pro bono support and services in the areas of branding, web design and print production.

“We’re preparing for a huge event, said Hollie Ksiezyk and Steve Sokany, co-chairs of the Gay Games 9 Board of Directors. “And, there are many ways for the community to get involved and contribute to this effort.”

Approximately 35 sports and culture events are expected to be a part of Gay Games 9. Events will run the gamut from softball, track & field, soccer and swimming to volleyball, bowling, marathon and rowing to band, orchestra and cheer. GG9 is presently in discussions with over 30 separate event venues throughout the region.

In addition to the competitive sporting events, Gay Games 9 will offer cultural events such as concerts, theme parties, and exhibitions as well as Festival Villages in Cleveland and Akron where athletes, community members, families and other visitors can enjoy time together.